


Vehement Wakefulness

by sardonyx164



Series: Operation Domiciliate (Discordant Opponents Must Ignore Conflict Lest Infinity Arranges Terrible Execution) [9]
Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Homesickness, Insomnia, Platonic Kissing, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sardonyx164/pseuds/sardonyx164
Summary: Nigel finds that he still has a lot of trouble sleeping.
Relationships: Nigel Uno & Chad Dickson
Series: Operation Domiciliate (Discordant Opponents Must Ignore Conflict Lest Infinity Arranges Terrible Execution) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730308
Kudos: 6
Collections: Operation Friend





	Vehement Wakefulness

**Author's Note:**

> Nigel's life as a galactic operative will be really bad for him.  
> Like...remember how in Operation Quiet where he stayed up for six days straight and only managed to get some sleep because of Abby?
> 
> Nobody like her will be around. Nigel will have nobody to talk to. He will have nobody to dissuade him from his unhealthy habits. 
> 
> In short, Nigel's health will fall faster than a Pelipper getting hit by a Manectric's Thunder. 
> 
> But good thing that Nigel has somebody to help him out, and that somebody is Chad. Even if Chad is a jerk, it's likely that he wouldn't want his ex-friend to suffer. 
> 
> It's tough to let go of old platonic bonds, after all.  
> ...And if anybody's going to hurt Nigel, it's going to be Chad himself.

_[Scene: Nigel’s room, at night. Nigel is sitting in his bed and reading a book about psychology. The boy yawns and rubs his eyes as he keeps reading]_

**Nigel:** (Come on, Nigel! Just get back to sleep already! You took a walk outside, you took a warm shower, you had a talk with Chad about his health, you even cuddled Chad for a bit, and now you’re just calmly sitting in your bed and reading a book! _Why are you still awake?!_ )

_[He hears a knock on his door]_

**Chad:** Hey, kid! Can I come in?

_[Nigel puts the book down, hops out of bed, and opens the door to find a concerned Chad]_

**Chad:** Um, hey. Is everything alright?

 **Nigel:** [kicking at the floor a bit] Ah, I’m just feeling kind of restless right now...

 **Chad:** Oh, yeah?

 **Nigel:** Yes. I tried a lot of things to get me back to sleep, like taking a hot shower or walking around a bit, but...I just can’t seem to calm down my mind. [sighs] Why can’t I live in one of those stories where the hero’s sleeping problems go away after one episode...?

 **Chad:** [shrugs] Yeah, insomnia is pretty terrible, isn’t it? [he notices the book on the bed] What are you reading?

 **Nigel:** [scratching the back of his neck] A psychology book.

 **Chad:** Does it say anything about how to manage insomnia?

 **Nigel:** Sort of? It talked about stuff like self defeating thoughts, cognitive behavioural therapy, that sort of thing.

 **Chad:** [looking through the book] I also see some more strategies in here. Let’s see...willing yourself to sleep won’t work...writing your thoughts down and giving them an outlet can work...and colouring can also work. Hey, do you have any colouring books and pencil crayons around?

 **Nigel:** Um...they’re on my bookshelf. You kind of have to dig through a lot of psychology books, though--

 **Chad:** [dismissively] Yeah, yeah, whatever.

_[Chad starts looking through the bookshelf in an attempt to find the colouring books. He tosses aside the other psychology books onto the floor to help his search, to Nigel’s growing rage]_

**Chad:** Alright, let’s see...personality, nope... developmental psychology, nope...[he finds a few colouring books]...ah, here they are! [he sees a pencil case at the back of the bookshelf] Ah, is this...? [he opens the pencil case and sees hundreds of pencil crayons inside] Oh, why yes, it is!

 **Nigel:** _Look what you’ve done,_ _y_ _ou_ _big_ _jerk!_ I bet you’re not even going to apologize for making this mess, are you?!

 **Chad:** [rolling his eyes] Hey, _you’re_ the one who likes organizing stuff so much. _You_ pick up the books and clean up this mess.

 **Nigel:** I...! I...! I can’t believe you! Just... take those stupid colouring books and _get out of my room_!

 **Chad:** [starting to leave] Fine! I didn’t want to stay in your stupid room, anyway!

 **Nigel:** [tearfully]...Whatever.

_[Chad’s expression softens when he hears Nigel crying. The older boy walks over to Nigel and kneels down to his level]_

**Nigel:** [bowing his head]...I’m sorry, Chad. I really _do_ want you to stay. I’m just... being over protective of myself, I guess.

 **Chad:** [gently putting his hand on Nigel’s shoulder] Hey, don’t apologize. You have _every right_ to get angry; not just at me, but at our situation, too. I would honestly be very concerned if you _weren’t_ angry.

 **Nigel:** Yes...[sniffs]...anger is supposed to tell you that something’s not right, or that you’re being treated unfairly...

 **Chad:** [wiping Nigel’s tears] And sadness tells you that you need to be comforted. [pulling Nigel into a hug] You’ve been crying a lot lately, haven’t you?

 **Nigel:** [quickly returning the hug] Yes, and _I hate it!_ I’m supposed to be cool and collected, not teary and terrified! Back on Earth, my friends were always there to support me! But I’m not on Earth anymore! My friends are gone, and I feel like _I’m falling apart without them!_

_[Nigel starts sobbing into Chad’s chest. Chad gently pats the crying boy’s back]_

**Chad:** Yeah, there you go. Just let yourself cry, Nigel. Sometimes you just need to cry, and that’s alright. [rubbing Nigel’s back] You’re doing great. [kissing Nigel’s temple] Um, hey, I just want to tell you that I’m still here with you, and I’ll stay with you for as long as you want me to, okay?

 **Nigel:** [sniffs] Okay...

 **Chad:** Oh, hey, come to think of it...how do you think we’re getting along so well despite us being enemies, huh?

 **Nigel:** [sniffs] It’s probably the mere exposure effect...the brain gets attached to things that are familiar...[sniffs]...and the effect is amplified when in a stressful, unfamiliar situation...

 **Chad:** [intrigued] Oh, is _that’s_ what’s happening? That’s interesting, actually. [giving Nigel a squeeze] Your psychology book is really helping us out, huh?

 **Nigel:** I guess so...

 **Chad:** [putting his hands on Nigel’s shoulders] Hey, how are you feeling?

 **Nigel:** [exhausted] A bit better. I’m also really tired, but I don’t know if I can fall asleep even after that crying session...

 **Chad:** Hmm...your psychology book talks about how to manage insomnia, right?

 **Nigel:** Yes...

 **Chad:** Well, how about I stay here with you and get you to use those techniques?

 **Nigel:** Please do...

 **Chad** : And if those techniques still don’t work...I’ll sing to you and give you a nice back rub, okay?

 **Nigel:** Okay. [gesturing to the messy bookshelf and the books on the floor] Can you help me reorganize my collection of psychology books, too?

 **Chad:** [kissing Nigel on the scalp] Sure thing.

 **Nigel:** [kissing Chad on the cheek] Thank you, Chad.

 **Chad:** [kissing Nigel on the temple] Hey, no need to thank me. The only thanks I need is seeing you happy and healthy.

 **Nigel:** [smiling tearfully] I love you, Chad.

 **Chad:** [warmly] Yeah. Love you too, Nigel.

End

**Author's Note:**

> I may be idealistic about these two reconciling...
> 
> ...but I want to aim for realism here. 
> 
> I highly doubt that a few speeches and a cuddle will automatically make them stop their fighting. 
> 
> This relationship is like...the circulatory system; even the slightest amount of stress can cause a lot of damage, especially if you're hot headed and competitive like these two are. Funnily enough, nitroglycerin (yes, that very same explosive) can be used to treat heart problems [more specifically, chest pain/angina caused by coronary artery disease].
> 
> Oh, and in case you were wondering about Nigel's obsessive thoughts about germs? Well, obsessions don't really go away. They just... take a different form; people with OCD will always end up having obsessive thoughts about *something*. Here, Nigel's obsession with germs has changed to an obsession with neatness.
> 
> Relevant links:  
> https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AddictionDisplacement
> 
> https://www.healthline.com/health/nitroglycerin-sublingual-tablet
> 
> https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601086.html
> 
> https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/take-nitroglycerin-to-ease-and-avoid-a-common-heart-disease-symptom
> 
> https://neurodivergentknd.tumblr.com/post/136842799269/why-numbuh-1-undoubtedly-has-ocd


End file.
